Vulcanizer with interchangeable shell



Sept. 6, 1932. A. KRAUSE VULCANIZER WITH INTERCHANGEABLE SHELL FiledOct. 28, 1929 I 3 Sheets-Sheet l P f A 5;

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J7 zmmse I Sept. 6, 1932. A. R. KRAUSE 1,875,316

VULCANIZER WITH INTERCHANGEABLE SHELL Filed Oct. 28, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet2 [fix/Entry: 47/7/0117. //7 use Patented Sept. 6, 1932 UNITED STATESPATENTOFFICE ARNOLD R. KRAUSE, OF EAU CLAIRE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TGILLETTE RUBBER coM- PANY, or nan CLAIRE, wIScoNsIN, A CORPORATION orWISCONSIN V'ULCANIZER WITH INTEBQHANGEABLE SHELL Application filedOctober as, i929. Serial 110,402,846.

' Thisinvention relates to a vulcanizer with adapted for use in thevulcanizing of tubes 57 and tires.

An object of the present invention resides in the provision of animproved device for sealing a shell within the mold or casing sectionsof vulcanizers and the like. 7 19 Another object of this invention is toprovide an improved locking device for locking 7 the shell in thevulcanizer. I

Still another object of this invention is to provide a device forsealing and locking the shell in the vulcanizer Without the aid of.

locking boltsor the like.

A further object of this invention is to provide a fluid operativedevice for sealing and locking a shell in the mold sections or casings2c. of vulcanizers and the like.

' A still further object of this invention is to provide a vulcanizer ofsuch a construction that any one of a plurality of different.

detached from the cooperable mold sections or casings of the vulcanizer.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparentfrom the disclosures in the drawings and specification.

' and hereinafter more fully described.

011 the drawings;

, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a vulcanizer embdying thefeatures of this invention certain parts thereof being shown in i'elevation. I

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan View partly in section takensubstantially on the line IIII of Figure 1, looking in the directionindicated by the arrows.

The invention is illustrated in the drawings Figure 3 is an enlargedfragmentary vertical view partly in section taken adjacent to the hingesection of the vulcanizer and illustrating the arrangement of the partsof this novel vulcanizer. Figure 4: is an enlarged fragmentary end viewtaken on the line IV-IVOf Figure 3, looking in the direction indicatedby the ar rows and illustrating the aperture for the accommodation ofthe valve of the tube. 60

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view illustratinganother form of thedetachable shell locking and sealing device andgasket of this invention.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line'VIVI ofFigure 3, look-v ing inthe direction indicated by the arrows,. andillustrating a steam inlet opening or port of this novel vulcanizer. I

As shown on the drawings 1 The reference character 9 designates legs forsupporting a fixed mold section orpart 11. These legs 9 may be four innumber and may also be equidistantly spaced from each other. Hingedlyconnected to the fixed mold 75 section or part 11 is a mold section 12disposed above the fixed section. 1 I d I Positioned in the-mold is ashell which may be replaced by other shells of different sizes or shapesdepending upon the character of the tube or tire to be vulcanized. Thisshell comprises two parts 13-14:, one being. disposedin each moldsection. Also each part. has a circular groove 1516 which is adapt-l edto cooperate with the groove inthe other part when the mold is closed soas to form a ring-like vulcanizing chamber for the tube ortire.

Each of the parts 13 and His provided with four integral lugs 17 thatfit into rec'essesiofr openings '18 of each of the mold sections and12(Figure 2).

The mold sections 11 and 12 are provided with a ring-like groove 19 thatcommunicates with the recesses or openings 18. The lugs 17 of the parts13 and 14 are inserted intothe openings or recesses 18 and reston a,lower portion of the ring-like grooves 19. The parts 13 and 14 arelocked in position by rotating the parts in such a manner that'the lugs17 of 9 the liner parts move inside the ring-like grooves 19 so that thelugs 17 are out of communication with theopenings 18 of the mold.

The lower portion of the part 13 and the upper portion of the part14'are provided with a plurality of reinforcing ribs 20, as illustratedin Figure 2. Each of the ribs 20 of the part 14 is provided with anopening 21 to allow the circulating steam or other fluid to flow fromone rib compartment to another. Each of the mold sections is providedwith an annular chamber 2223 for receiving and extends downwardly whilethe V-shaped groove in each of the annular gaskets 26 and 27 located inthe part 14 extends upwardly. The lower face of the part Y13 and theupper face'of the part 14 are provided with a plurality of drilled holes28 that extend from the 'faces'of the parts into the ring-like grooves24 and 25 communicating with the V-shaped grooves of the gaskets 26 and27.

The chamber 22 formed between the inner portion of the part 13 and themold l1 and also the similar chamber 23 formed'between the inner portionof the part 14 and the mold 12 I are connected through integral L-shapedconnections 2930 to the outside center portions of the molds 11 and 12.Since the L-shaped connections 2930 are substantially identical inconstruction it is thought that the detailed illustration of one of themin Figure 6 will suffice for both. The outside portion of each of theL-shaped connections 2930, as illustrated in Figure 6, is provided witha threaded opening for receiving a pipe which is adapted to be connectedto the usual steam or heating fluid supply line.

The mold 11 of the vulcanizer is provided with a steam outlet opening 33(Figure 2) located in the same rib section as the steam inlet opening29. The steam outlet opening 33 communicates with the inside of thechamber 22 and is connected in the usual way to a steam outlet pipe (notshown). Chamber 23 of mold 12 is connected with a steam outlet opening31 through an. opening 34 extending through the wall of the part 14.

7 Each of the parts 13 and 14 is provided with a groove 5354 (Figures 3and 4). These two grooves 5354 cooperate with each other when thesectionsare in engagement to define a transverse cylindrical opening forthe accommodation of the valve stem of the tube being vulcanized withinthe vulcanizer at any given time. This valve stem opening communicateswith a rectangular recess 55 formed in the cooperating mold parts 11 and12 (Figure 4) which afiords access to the valve stem. Attention isdirected to the pose. I shall now proceed to describe enough 1 of thissystem so as to render clear how the opening and closing of the mold maybe eifected. 1

' Disposed centrally of the vulcanizer and bolted to the stationary moldsection llis a cylinder head plate 35 which serves to define the upperend of cylinder 36 suitably connected thereto. The lower end of thecylinder 36 has suitably secured to it a closure block 37 through whichextendsa piston rod 38.

A ackin or 'land 39 mounted on an inter-' mediate portion of the pistonrod 38 is threadedly secured in a recess 40 of the block 37. A piston 41movable within the cylinder 36 is fastened to the upper end of thepiston rod 38. The lower end of the rod 38 has fastened to it a spider42, which comprises a plurality of radially extending arms 43 each ofwhich is pivotally connected to the lower end of a link 44. When thepiston 41 is in its lowermost position (Figure 1) the links 44 extendupwardly and diagonally from the spider 42. The upper end of each of thelinks 44 is pivotally attached to the lower end of a lever 45. The lever45 is formed with a hook 46 at its upper end, shaped to engage the topof a lug 47 formed integral with the movable mold section 12. A pin 50disposed within an integral bracket 51 of the fixed mold section 11pivotally supports the lever 45 in position.

When the piston 41 is moved to its uppermost position within thecylinder 36, the levers or clamping members .45 are each moved to avertical position and the links 44 are disposed in a horizontal plane atsubstantially right angles to the leversl45, thereby locking the hooks46 in clamping engagement with the shoulders or lugs 47 of the movablemold section 12. In other words, when the linkage and levers are in thedotted position shown in Figure 1, the movable mold section 12 isclamped in cooperation with the stationary or fixed section 11. pNormally when the vulcanizer is inoperative, the piston 41 is disposedat the extreme lower end of the cylinder'36, as illustrated in Figure 1,and when itis desired to operate the piston within the cylinder forlocking the mold sections together, the piston 41 is moved upwardly bythepressureof a fluid, which may be either steam or air, admitted intothe cylinder 36 from any suitable source of steam or air supply. Thispiston may be moved either up or down as the case'demands by the steamto unclamp or clamp the mold parts in cooperation.

The operation of this vulcanizer is briefly as follows:

After the upper movable mold section 12 is pivotally raised away fromthe fixed section 11, parts 13 and 14 conforming to the shape of thetube or tire to be vulcanized are placed into the mold sections 11 and12 in such a manner that the lugs 17 of the parts 13 and 14 are insertedinto the openings 18 of the mold sections 11 and 12. It is to beunderstood that the shells or parts 13 and 14 are interchangeable withother shells of different sizes and shapes whereby my vulcanizer may beused to vulcanize different types and sizes of tubes or tires.

The rotation of the parts 13 and 14 in either direction will move theintegral lugs 17 in the grooves 19 of the mold sections 11 and 12 sothat the lugs 17 are out of alignment with the recesses 18. The lugs 17of the parts 13 and 14 when disposed in the groove 19 out of alignmentwith the recesses or openings 18, lock and retain the liners or shellsin position in the mold.

The tube or tire, whichever is to be vulcanized, is placed in theannular semi-circular groove 15 in the lower shell 13. The upper andmovable mold 12 is then lowered so that the annular semi-circulargrooves 15 and 16 of the shells cooperate with each other to define anannular pocket conforming with the shape of the tire or tube locatedtherein.

After the mold sections 11 and 12 are in cooperation with each other,steam is admitted into the lower part of the cylinder 36 forcing thepiston 41 upwardly within the cylinder causingthe link members 44 and 45to be moved to the position as shown by the dotted lines in Figure 1,thus clamping the mold parts in cooperation.

The chambers 22 and 23, formed between the interior of the molds 11 and12 and the interior of the parts 13 and 14, are then connected throughthe L-shaped openings 2930 in the parts 13 and 14 to a source of steamor other heating fluid.

The steam thus admitted into the vulcanizer circulates about the ribbedcompartments through the openings 21 of the ribbed sections 20 in such amanner that the pressure of the circulating steam will move the parts 13and 14 toward each other so that the face of the part 14 firmly andtightly abuts against the face of the part 13.

The forcing ofthe faces of the parts 13 and 14 in abutment with eachother rigidly secures the integral lugs 17 ina locked'position in thering-like groove '19 of the mold sections 11 and 12.

The firm abutting of the face of the part 14 against the face of thepart-13 leaves small clearance openings or spaces between the inner faceof theparts and the adjacent portions of the mold -seotionsll and 12 forallowing the steam inthechambers 22and 23 to flow through the openings28 into .the V-shaped grooves of'the gaskets 26 and 27 disposed intheannularring grooves 24and 25 of theparts 13 and 14.

The pressure-of the steam circulating in the V-shaped grooves of thegaskets26 and 27 forces the outer lipped portion of the gaskets in firmcontact with portions-of the walls of the mold sections :11 and 12,thereby firmly sealing the parts 13 and 14 in the mold sections toprevent the steam from escaping from the inside of the vulcanizer.

The condensate collecting in the compartments of the chamber 22 flowsthrough the openings 21 in the ribs 20 and is forced out with thecirculating steam through the openings 34 in the vertical wall of thepart 14,

and through the outlet opening 31 of the mold section 12 (as illustratedby the dotted line in Figure 3) into a flexible outlet pipe of a steamreturn line (not'shown). The condensate collecting in the bottom insideportion of the mold section 11 is forced. out with the circulating steamthrough the outlet opening 33 (Figure 2) into a steam return line.(notshow The steam admitted into the'chamber's 23 and 22' not only performsthe function of maintaining the parts in a locked and sealed position,but also is used for heating the parts for the vulcanizing of the tubeor tire located in the vulcanizing sections of the mold.

It is to be observed that the steam pressure in the chambers 22 and 23forces the faces of the cooperative semi-circular parts firmly togetherso that no configuration or projecting seams appear on thevu lcanizedtires or tubes.

It can readily be seen thatthis novel meth- 0d of interlocking andsealing the lugs of the parts in the ring groove mold sections increases the eflicient operation of the vulcanizer, inasmuch as itprovides a means of speedily and easily inserting and removing the shellparts fom the vulcanizer thereby eliminating the laborious task oftightening or removing bolts or screws which are ordinarily used to holdshells in the conventional vulcanizer in place.

The .mold sections of the vulcanizer are of such a construction that anyone of a plurality' of different size orzshape shells conforming to thetire or tube to be vulcanized may be readily and easily sealed andlocked to or detached from the cooper'able moldsections or casings ofthe vulcanizer.

Figure 5 illustrates a modification of tiis invention in which awedgeshaped gasket ring 60 isdisposed in groove 59" of the mold 11,instead of being disposed in ring-like grooves in either of the parts 18and 14. The lugs 17 of the part 13 are secured in the groove 19 in thesame manner as illustrated in the preferred form of this invention. Themold 11 is provided with an annular groove 59 into which an annularwedgeshaped gasket 60 is located having its horizontal side in contactwith the lower face of the part 13.

The mold 11 is also provided with a rectangular groove 61 that liesadjacent and parallel with thetapered end of the gasket 60. This groove61 permits steam to flow through the groove and against the slantingface of the gasket 60 to seal the shell part to the mold section 11.

In the modified form of this invention, the shell part 13 is sealed tothemold section 12 by means of the steam that circulates through thechamber 22 and also flows through the rectangular groove 61 in the moldsection 11. The pressure of the steam circulating in the rectangulargroove 61 in the mold section 11 forces the wedge-shaped gasket 60firmly in contact with the lower face of the part 13, thereby forming asealed oint to prevent the steam in the chamber 22 from escaping fromthe interior of the vulcanizer.

When it is desirable to change the shell parts in the vulcanizer forother shell parts so that different size or shape tubes or tires may bevulcanized, the change can be speedily and easily accomplished byraising the movable mold section 12 and shutting off the flow of steaminto the chambers 22 and 23.

After the steam ceases to flow into the chambers 22 and 23 the steampressure against the parts 13 and 14 is decreased so that the moldshells can then be easily rotated until the lugs 17 on each of the shellparts 13 and 14 are in aligmnent with the openings I 18 that communicatewith the grooves 19 in the face of the mold sections 11 and 12. When thelugs of the shell part sections are in alignment with the openings 18 ofthe mold sections, the shell parts may be lifted from the mold sections.

Now, of course, it is to be understood that while the invention isillustrated and described in detail in its preferred form, the inventionis not to be thus limited but only insofar as defined by the scope andspirit of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

In a vulcanizer, a mold, a shell in said mold, a flexible ring in saidshell said ring being substantially rectangular in cross-section andhaving a V groove in one surface, substantially the width of the face,one face of the ring-adjacent the V groove being in engage-

